Indicating device.



0; R. RGLAFLIN. INDCATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

Patented sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C E. B. CLAPLN. INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 190s.

41,072,426. Patented 56,913.9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses.' Ime/itam 7m/M53 mm/z,

4'onrrirn narran 'n CHARLES R. B. CLAELIN,

QF BOSTON, MASSACUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY M ESNE ASSEGNMENTS, T0 ATLANTEG NATEO'NA BANK, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATIN @LF RHODE ISLAND.

'INDICATING- DEVICE.

Specification et Letters Eatent.

Patented Sept. 9, 19131 Application led May 11, 1908. Serial No. 432,177.

To all whom z'z may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. B. OLAF- LiN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented an improvement in Indicating Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specilication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. Y

This invention relates to indicating devices, being more particularly concerned with indicating or signaling systems which are intended for the display ot words, numbers, characters or other symbols or manifestations in response to the actuation of a suitable sending or operating device.

This invention, while in some respects applicable to other systems, is more particularly concerned with systems employing one or more groups of signaling or indicating devices, which, without necessary change inrelative position, are caused to be selectively actuated so as to display one or more characters, symbols or other visual indication, and thereby convey desired information.

As illustrative of well-known indicators of this class may be mentioned one provided with'one or more groups of image-creating devices, such, :tor example, as incandescent lamps provided eachy with a screen or othe means for converting the light from its lamp when the latter is energized into a characteristie visual symbol, suoli, for example, as a digit or letter, and provided with means either nearby or ata distance for selectively energizing the individual members ot the group. ln systems of this class previously known to the prior art, the lamps ot any one group, together with their screens or the like, have been arranged adjacent eachother as, tor examijile, in vertical lines and where a plurality ot groups have been used, the groups have been arranged adjacent each other as, for example, in parallel. vertical lirios. The objection to this arrangement is that when several individual indicating de,- vicesl from the various groups are simultaneously rendered effective for disijilaying a signal consisting ot characters intended to he read together such, for example, as a number consisting otjthree or tour ligures, they are lf lisplayed in a scattered relation upon the ield of vision, one number appearing perhaps near the top of one vertical line and the K- next consecutive number near the bottom of the next vertical line, so that not only is it dliiicult for the eye to readily take them in, but an additional effort is required mentally to assemble the disconnected numerals into a.\ single number and receive the correct mental impression of the transmitted signal.

One obje/ct' ot my invention is to obviate this disadvantage, particularly in systems of this class, so that other advantages of such systems may be 4practically availed of.

rlhis, and other objects and advantages of my invention, will be best understood by reterence to the following description when taken in connection with theaccompanying illust-ration of one specific embodiment thereet, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in partial section, partly diagrammatic and partly constructional, showing the sending and receiving devices of an indicating system 'embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail, partly broken away, showing a portion of the rear ot the indicator;

ld'ig. 3 is a detail showing a part of the front ot the indicator; Fig. 4L is a view, partially diagrammatical, showing one application or the indicator illustrated in Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a section, partly broken away, taken through 8.5

the sending device shown in F i0'. l; and F ig. ll is-a view, partly broken away, showing the dial plate on the sending device, such view being shown as looking in the dmection o/ the arrow in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, particularly. to Figs. l and e, and to the embodiment ot my invention which l have there selected "for illustration, the same comprises a sending or actuating instrument a which is intended to transmit information to a station either near or remote, to be there displayed 'in the torni of numbers, words, characters, symljiols or other visual effects. c ln the system shown in Fig. it l have sliown two similar receiving 100 stations provided each with a receiving instrument designated Z), such receiving instrument being equipped with means to display upon a suitable'iield or background, such/ as the plate c, preferably of translucent inaterial as, for example, ground glass, one or more symbols for the conveyance of intormation..

en A A:four groups of imege-ereuting devices hevlng ten'inembers euchj eorresponding to iiie ten digits,'so illes. by selectively 'rendering effective diferensJ members .of the four groups, any number from 0 to 9999 may be Clispleyed upon ibe so any number or groups and any class lig'h'-proclueing; devices, such incenciescent lamps al, proviciecl escli 'with u screen e,

suit-ably cui avvii-v? peuorojed or r'ormeci to prouuce image in the form of ihe desired A, numeral or oiiier symbol required when its "periouler lamp is 'in the illustrated esse :i plureliy of lamps ere used and `both the lamps enel one screens ere fixed in position and the in ege is creeed by ligottlie lamp. it is, however obvious vliet various other eiipecients may be use@L :for reniering ne image-Greeting device effecive, suoli, for ezenipie, es inoveble screens or movable lights as clisiiinc: from fixed screens enel ligbsy or 'use of single lighting eliember es disiincr from e piumiity of suoli chambers.

in orfler io selectively display; die several created .images of one group upon subsenielly the seine spoior aree on biie screen iviiliou; neeesserily pro icling moving meere-nisiii for entirely rearranging; the posirions of tlie members of e group each tiinee (iiiferent signal is displayed, l" have provided ineens for ciireeiing the created images of tbe severiii groups upon 'the suine spot on the screen und also for directing; the cre/ered :for oonseeuaive or ecljecen groups, which are to, be reeel coiisecutiveiy, upon en uoijaoen spor-upon the screen, so that, when 'they ure uispluyefl7 consecutive images are seen in ordeulj7 and preferably horizontal eiinei'nenb cepabie of being easily reed end undersiood, lvl/*bile other Ways of aecom- Dlisi'iing ibis muy be employed, iii ine illus-` i'zrzied forni of inv invention ilusoojeci; the screens, oi li with een ing tubes plaie c. @livionsly this is illustrative oniy, the iiiveniJiOn being ce.- t

'peble or exiension or' symbols or visual eiecis which may be desired. i

lWliile other ineens for creating the visuel of die ielel of vision on tbe plaie, unil each screen being prefere-.bly parallel with the piee provicbci Wi ,li one or inore lenses g cooperatively arranged Within die 'iibe f to foeus elle screened light passing from the elispleyed upon the plof-e o, l'- now tbe currenty is eu ofi from the imno und the lmnp for liigbieu, there will beaiisplev l upon elle 'Jolie numeral e in preciseiy be ,seine :is 'ne numeral 5 new appears.

hln addition iie lens'g, es shown in es seen in Fig. 3.

Fig. l, conciensing or einer .lenses may be employed as eoncliions may require, ixiie fipf y J "1' params in big: i

being i'nenclei io slioW only u conventional lens arrangement. lior example, in lie -ube the number 3 lieve shown o seconol or confleiising Vlens y beveeu vne screen and rlie iernp, end suoli arrangement, if flesirefl, might be ziropieo for ell the members of ille group.

lili/linie other :issocieel groups of innigecreeting devices be positioned Where desired for convenience und simplicity, il beve shown, alieni sir-ranged in the seeing sicle by side, as represente@ in Fig; 2, snol seoareiefi by any suizible Willis or purtiiioiis. lou/ill be undersoocl faire@ the individuel members ci oloer groups ere posi'i'ioned rele.- ftively so eeen other?. subsienciully riie seine es cescribezi in connection vziitii ehe firsl group referredifto,eucb being cons'iucieh es previously clescribeii to the seme ereeon the pie'te c, preferably inimediziibey adjecen; time spot Where the iineges from the nexr ejecent group ore dispoyed. `lli/'bile obviously the inieqes from the ecljeeen; groups migli: be elispieyefi in veriezii elinemenz, or in any other desired arrangement, preferably, es shownj for simplicity in reading, they ere arranged in orderly consecutive horizontal elinenien, so-

cheo *alley can be eesiiy disiinguisbecl.

The lamps may be hel in posiiioii by any iesireol ineens unil may be errang il in vu. ious Ways. in receiver slioivn g, euch sube is provided ivifh e plurality orf lumps d (see Fig, 2), herein LWo in nu iber, which are preferably connected in multiple and supported upon lie insuieiing blockv fe., the lei-ier secured to 'the threaded metallic plug which is removebiy secured in tbe euri the tube. The lamp terminals secure-:l to lie insuis'ing bloei: @muy be merle uitoto Contact with suiiuble olireci, iis image upon negative ierininais und .Za-j wiiicli aeraaas latter are, in turn, permanently connected to` the sender a.

I preferably employ two or .more lamps for each member of the group, this being useful as a precautionary measure, for, it' one lamp is burned out, there Will still be enough light from the remaining lamp to display the signal, While, at the same time its diminished light will notify the ttendant at the-receiver of the fault and he latter .can have it immediately rectified.

Any suitable ing device may be employed at the sending station, the one shown inthe drawings being illustrative only. s shown in Fig. l, the same consists of a contact segment Z arranged in juxtaposition to a series of ten pairs of contacts m', m2 to m". The segment Z may he connected through any suitable source, such as the battery a with allthe positive terminals of the lamp, While the contacts m', etc., are connected individually to the corresponding responsive negative lamp terminals. To avoid complications, these are not shown in detail in Fig. l, but they Will hercadily understood from the illustrative connections 'which are shown as carried out to the terminals of the members 7 and 8 from the receiving apparatus.

The various' contact pairs are adapted to be selectively connected to the segment Z and their' respective image-creating devices thereby rendered selectively effective by movement or' a switch arm 0 carrying a bridging contact y? engaging the said segment Z and the contact m. The switch arm 0 is mounted as upon the pin g and adapted to be turned manually or otherwise in any desired vvay, as by the handle i' secured to the segment s. Suitable means may be provided'tor assisting the positioning of the arm over any given segment and for locating it 'there when positioned,` and as illustrative of such, the edge of the segment is shown suitably notched and engaged by the roller s carried upon the pivoted arm s2 and pressed into engagement with the segment by the coil spring s3. ln order also that the sending operator may see betere him the symbolvvhich, through manipulation ot the handle w', he is simultaneously displaying on the plate c, there may be provided a member t xedly secured to the switch arm o and carrying a plate or segment t, upon the tace of Which are d is-v played the numerals o-r other symbols adapted to be displayed at the receiver and ar- `ranged in the same consecutive order as the contacts 'm' to m0. As the segmental plate t" mores about, the number corresponding to the segment then engaged by the arm, is

visible, to the operator through an opening t2 in the wall of the casing a.

As it will be understood, as shown in Fig. 4, there is provided a separate transmitting construction of circuit closhandle r and a separate switch arm o and a separate set of contacts for each group of image-creating devices, which may be independently manipulated so that any selected number in a group may be displayed.

The several gments l for the different groups may, if desired', be connected in multiple and connected by a single conductor to the positive terminals of all the lamps of all the groups lf desired, the cutout switch, shown embodied in the push button u, may be employed, so as to render the receiver inetective until, by manipulation of the several handles, the desired signal is set. Preferably, however, either with or Without the push button, the main circuit for each group of signal devices is caused to pass, as shown in Fig. l, through thev fixed contact u and the movable contact arm u2, the latter connected to the arm s2, so that, as the roller s enters a notch, indicating that lthe switch arm has engaged one of the contacts m, the circuit is made at u2, but at the other times broken. The circuit also passes through contacts us and e4, so arranged in the handle that when the handle is gripped the gripping piece if, being pressed inwardly, the contacts are separated, thereby ni'ealring the circuit. lWhen, however, the grip is released, the circuit is again established. lt therefore follows that in changing from one number to ano-ther the circuit is broken and .will not be again made until the handle isreleased with the roller s resting in one of the notches. This prevents arcing at the contacts and unintelligible dashes at the indicator.

lWhile any indenite variety of applica.- tions of this invention may be made, in Fig. i l. have shown one simple illustration of its use, the Same being shown as employed in connection with a system of range signaling for use on shipboard. For this purpose there is provided a receiving device Z1 at each gun station, the numerals on which are intended to display the range in yards as determined at a central station lll@ and as transmitted from the sending stautilized to display to the nearby sending operator the transmitted signal as it is displayed at thefdistant receiver. lf, therefore, an error is made in reading the dial on the transmitter, the mistake will be quickly seen from the tell-tale indicator.

iso y To avoid complication, the connections in detail are not shown in llig. 4;, 'out they Will be .readily understood Without further description.

l Obviously' the above application ci' my invention may be extended by the employment of additional indicators and the utilization ot otherrtransmitting devices, for transmitting signals of diillerent nature, but the general principles or" my invention will be understood from tbe foregoing descrip tion.

`While l have shown described lfor the purpose oit illustration one specific form of my invention, it is to be understood that the saine is not limited to the details of construction or to the particu. application herein made thereof, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated .torio :may be made `Without departing from the spirit of the invention Claims.

l.. ln an indicator a group of imagecreating devices, comprising separate members, each with means' to display'upon substantially the sainespot on a suitable lield or background a characteristic visual signal, and relatiiel,T remote ineens for selectively rendering effective any one of said devices at will.

2. ln an indicator the combination with a plurality or' groups ci image-creating devices, each group coinprising separate lueur bers each with means to display upon substantially the saine spot on a suitable field or background a characteristic visual signal, of means for selectively rendering etective a device of one group simultaneously with a device of another group.

l 2l, ln an i'i'ulicatcrl the combination with aplurality of groups of image-creating devices, each group comprising separate members each with inea-ns to display upon substantially the same spotJ on. a suitable field or background a characteristic image, the' images ot' consecutive groups being related to one another and directed upon said iield in consecutive orderly alinement, of means for selectively rendering eiective a device of one group simultaneously with a selected device ol another group.

lin an indicator the combination with a plurality Aof groups of signaling devices, each group comprising a plurality of lightvcreating nienibcrs, provided each with cooperating associated members to produce from the light thereof a characteristic lighting etlect, means :tor directing the light produced by ibs devices of any group upon subetai'itially the spot on suitable field or background, the signals of consecutive groups being directed upon said field in consecutive orderly alincinent, of means for selectively energizing individual' menol bers the several groups, thereby to display upon the field oli .vision in orderly alinement selected signals of the several groups.

5. ln an indicator the combination With a plurality of groups of signaling devices, each group comprising a lplurality of elec tric lamps, each lanip being provided with a suitably constructed screen to form coperatively therewith` a characteristic image, and means for directing the images produced by the lamps of any one group upon substantially the. same spot on a suitable kield or background, A the images of consecutive groups directed upon said eld in consecutive orderly alineinent, of means for selectively energizing individual lai-ups of the several groups, thereby to display upon the field of vision in orderly alinement the selected symbols of the several groups.

6. ln an indicator the combination with a `plurality of groups of signaling devices,

each group comprising a plurality of electric lamps, each lamp being provided with a suitably constructed screen to form coperatively therewith a characteristic image, and tubular casings each provided With one or more suitable lenses for directing the images formed by the lamps ol any one group upon ,substantially the saine spot on a suitable held or background, the-images of consecin tive groups being directed upon said Held in substantially horizontal alinement, of a switch for each of said groups of lamps for selectively energizing individual members of the said groups, thereby to display upon the field of vision in horizontal alineinent the selected images of the several groups.

7. ln an indicator a group of signaling devices comprising a plurality of electric lamps, each lamp being provided with a suitably constructed screen to form copera- `tively therewith'a characteristic image, and provided also each with a tubular ca-sing.

having one or more suitable lenses, said casings beiner arranged to converge upon subvstantiallly the same spot on a suitable field or background and incans for selectively enelgizing one at a time the individual lamps of the group 8 111 an indicating system the coinbination with a receiving instrument comprising groups of separate image-creating devices and means for directing the imagesv produced by the different members of the several groups in substantially the same orderlyv alinement upon a suitable field or background, of aisending instrument operatively ussoeiated with said receiving instru,- inent but relatively remote therefrom, said sending instrument having means for se lective'ly rendering elietive a device'of one group simultaneously with' devicel oanothcr group and a second' indicating instrument operatively associated with said sending instrument and relatively near the same,

said secondinstrument also having groups of separate image -creating devices and means for directing the images produced by the different members of the several groups in substantially the same aliiiement upon a suitable field or background and being actuated by said sending instrument simultaneously with said iirst receiving instrument, the said iield or background of said second Ainstrument being visible frein said sending instrument.

` 9. vIn an indicator the combination with aA 'group of signaling devices any one of `said devices at will to display a given image anda tell-table device located adjacent said selective means for simultaneously displaying the saine image.

10. In an indicating system a plurality of vindicators -having each a plurality of groups of signaling devices, each group comprising a plurality of electric lamps, each lainp being provided with coperatively associated means to produce fromv the light thereof a characteristic lighting effect,

means for directing the light produced by the devices of anyone group upon substantially the same spot on a suitable ield or background, the signals of consecutive ,Y

Ygroups.- being directed upon said field in consecutive orderly alineinent -and means connected in multiple with said several indicators for selectively energizing individual members' of the several groups at each indicater thereby simultaneously to display at each indicator upon the ield of vision thereof in orderly alinenient the selected signals of the several groups. v

ln testimony whereof, l have signed my naine to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES R. B. CLAFLN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. Boo'rri, Evniznfrr S. EMERY. 

